Roberts helps SMU rally past Rice, 68-53

Published 6:00 pm, Friday, February 8, 2008

Derrick Roberts scored 20 points and Mike Walker added 12, including the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the game, as SMU came back to beat Rice 68-53 Saturday night.

The Mustangs (8-13, 2-6 Conference USA) fell behind early, trailing at halftime 34-23 and never leading until Walker's 3-point shot with 4:38 remaining put them up 51-50.

SMU then closed the game on a 17-3 run, with Jon Killen scoring on eight free throws and Roberts adding six more points. Killen finished with 11 points and five assists.

Rice (3-19, 0-9) looked like it might get its first conference win and break an 11-game losing streak, building a big lead on 54 percent first-half shooting. But then the Owls missed badly in the second half, going 8-of-28 from the field (29 percent).

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Patrick Britton led the Owls with 14 points. Rodney Foster had 11 points despite going 1-of-10 on 3-point tries. The Owls were 1-of-14 from long distance.